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In August 1926 and August 1927 the Lunenburg fishing fleet was caught in ferocious storms off Sable Island. In all, 138 fishermen were lost. Many came from the same small Nova Scotia fishing villages. The impact on their communities was devastating.

George Mayo and his sister, during their brothers wedding. George, 28, died along with his brother Ab and his father Joseph.
Another brother, Bert, survived aboard an engine-powered trawler. The story is told that, at the height of the storm, Bert was startled by an apparition of George in the wheelhouse. George said "Bert, we're all gone" and vanished.

Allister Firth and his father, Arthur, were from Shelburne County. Allister was 17. He didn't want to go on this trip and had tried several times to escape. Just before the schooner was to sail, he hid at his friend's house, but his father found him and forced him on board.